There is no such thing as a free lunch.

Wu Jian did not remember where he had heard this phrase. Perhaps it was from one of the books he had read long ago. Either way, that phrase seemed to perfectly embody the situation Mei Xilan found herself in right now.

Master Yun Chi, despite his ancient appearance, looked like an indomitable wall as he stood before his massive cauldron with his arms crossed, staring down at Mei Xilan. She seemed little more than an ant by comparison. The man standing before them was both a powerful alchemist and cultivator. While Wu Jian could not detect his cultivation, he had heard that Master Yun Chi was at the peak of the Seeker Realm.

The further one cultivates, the longer they live, and the longer they have lived, the more their values and sense of morality gets warped by age. Living for too long could lead too a detachment from the struggles and suffering of mortals. As cultivators witnessed generations come and go, they became desensitized to the transient nature of human life.

As time passed, cultivators (alchemists especially) accumulate vast knowledge, wealth, and power, which leads them to feel increasingly entitled. Why shouldn’t they be above others when they are clearly better than normal people? That feeling becomes stronger and stronger with the passage of time. The sense of entitlement bred by their long life span made them believe they deserved rewards or benefits for their action. They believed their long life and accumulated knowledge granted them special privileges. As a result, they would only help another if they gained significant rewards in return.

What will Mei Xilan do now? I’m sure she knew before she asked for this meeting that Yun Chi would not help her unless he gained something from it. She must have some kind of plan.

Wu Jian was not the only one staring at Mei Xilan. Zhou Lihua and Lili Ling were also watching the young woman. The only person not paying attention was Youmei, who eyed the giant cauldron like she wanted to climb inside it. That was why he kept a firm grip on her hand.

“Of course, I would never come here without having prepared proper compensation.”

So saying, Mei Xilan summoned something else from her storage ring. It was another sheet of parchment. Master Yun Chi tried to summon it to him, but Mei Xilan kept a firm grip on the parchment, ensuring it could not be called out of her hand.

“This is a map marking the location of the Ten Thousand Year Hallow Tree,” Mei Xilan said. “Help me, and it’s yours.”

Master Yuni Chi immediately froze the moment those words left Mei Xilan’s lips. Ten Thousand Year Hallow Tree. This was Wu Jian’s first time hearing the name, but even he could tell this name was something impressive. However, because he didn’t know what, he was at a loss, so he leaned over and whispered to Zhou Lihua.

“What’s the Ten Thousand Year Old Hallow Tree?”

Zhou Lihua had been gaping alongside Lili Ling, but she shook her head and slapped her cheeks once, as though she needed a shock to get her mind back after losing it. She glanced at him, then at her master. Then she leaned over and began whispering.

“The Ten Thousand Year Hallow Tree is a natural wonder that’s been rumored to only bloom once every ten thousand years. The seeds within the flowers that blossom on its branches are one of the highest quality alchemy ingredients. They can be used in many different pills to enhance their effects many times over. However, they are also a key component in a legendary pill called Ten Thousand Bodhisattva Reincarnation. This is the only pill in known existence that can help someone at the Realization Realm break into the Perfection Realm.”

“And I’m guessing the tree is not so easily found?”

“Yes, but perhaps not for the reasons you might think. The Ten Thousand Year Hallow Tree is special in that it changes locations.”

“How is that possible?”

“No one knows,” Lili Ling decided to answer him with a shrug. “There’s a theory that the tree is sentient, but it’s never been proven.”

“Whether it is sentient or not, there are some things we do know,” Master Yun Chi must have heard them, for he began talking. “The Ten Thousand Year Hallow Tree will appear in one language that has a heavy concentration of nutrients and chi--typically a leyline. The last time, it appeared on a peninsula in the Northern Jin Kingdom, which is known for possessing the leyline called the Xuánwǔ Line. It’s flowers bloomed for less than two hours. After it stopped blooming, the tree disappeared.”

So not only did the tree appear randomly, but the ingredient everyone sought from it only appeared for a limited time. That was one scarce ingredient. He could now see why Mei Xilan was using this as a bargaining chip.

“Does anyone else have this information?” asked Master Yun Chi.

Mei Xilan shrugged. “I’m sure they do, though I couldn’t tell you who they are or how they found out. The reason I know of its location is because I stumbled upon it by accident during my travels.”

“… and I can trust this information is true. If it’s not…”

While Master Yun Chi let the threat hang in the air, Mei Xilan appeared unbothered as she said, “It would be very stupid of me to provide you with information that is false.”

She didn’t even need to say why. This man was a platinum rank alchemist, one of the most powerful and influential figures in the cultivation world. A single word from him could galvanize the entire continent. No place would ever be safe for Mei Xilan again if he decided to go after her.

He still seemed hesitant, so Mei Xilan added, “This information also comes with knowledge of when the Ten Thousand Year Hallow Tree will bloom.”

Master Yun Chi only debated with himself for a moment. “Very well, in exchange for that knowledge, I will mass refine the pills you need.”

Mei Xilan gave the alchemy master a martial bow. “I appreciate your aid. The knowledge I possess is yours.”

***

While all the ingredients to mass refine the pills Mei Xilan wanted had already been found and provided for, it would still take a while for Master Yun Chi to refine them all. A week had been the estimated amount of time it would take. That sounded like a long time to refine pills, but Zhoou Lihua assured Wu Jian that this was actually normal. According to her, there were some pills that required a whole month to properly refine.

This meant they had some free time before they had to leave. Wu Jian spent most of it catching up with Zhou Lihua. He learned all about the kind of things she was learning, and what sort of pills she had mastered refining. Wu Jian didn’t understand half of what she was saying. His knowledge of alchemy was half-baked at best. Even so, the joy and happiness she displayed as she told him about her accomplishments left him with a sense of joy and wonder. He loved listening to her talk. He could have listened for days on end.

They were not able to have anal sex, though not for lack of trying. Several attempts had all ended in failure. Zhou Wen had been keeping a careful eye on them, and the few times they tried to slip away, she would find them just before anything more than a few kisses could happen. It was annoying. How did this woman always seem to know when they were about to do something naughty?

Despite not being able to share too many intimate moments, they both enjoyed their time together, and they also discussed Wu Jian’s upcoming journey with Mei Xilan. Zhou Lihua surprised him when she claimed she would travel with him. He didn’t know if that was really a good idea and expressed as much, but Zhou Lihua was determined. She said she would talk to her master soon. Even though he didn’t know if this was something she should be doing, he would not stop her.

Mei Xilan had also given Wu Jian the ingredients needed for the Sixteen Star Advancement Pill. He in turn had given the ingredients to Zhou Lihua. She did not have the power or the knowledge to refine such a pill, but she would eventually, and she promised him to refine it as soon as she could. He trusted her. In all honesty, Wu Jian did not want anyone else but her refining his pills, so he was fine letting her keep the ingredients.

Like that, the days passed.

***

Zhou Lihua stood before her masters refining room. The iron wrought door had never seemed quite so intimidating to her before, but even so, she took a deep breath and knocked once. There was no response, but she expected as much. He was very likely in the process of refining one of the pills that Mei Xilan had requested of him.

“…Come in, Li’er.”

Zhou Lihua entered the refining room, the scent of freshly refined pills hitting her soon after taking her first step.

Master Yun Chi stood before his still smoking cauldron, his back to her, and a heavy pulse of chi flowing from him. He took a deep breath, then breathed out. It looked like he was breathing out black smoke.

“I know why you're here,” he said. “I don’t think I need to tell you that this is a bad idea. Those two are heading off to fight an entire country by themselves. That is not something any sane person would do unless they had incontrovertible power--and they do not.”

“I know.”

“And yet you still wish to go?”

“I do.”

While Wu Jian was not the original reason she had become an alchemist, he was the reeeasson she had continued down this path. His death had sent a shockwave through her. She still remembered how, shortly after learning about the Wu Clan’s destruction, she had become so depressed that she couldn’t refine a single pill. Every attempt had ended in failure. It was only after he returned that she was able to once more begin refining. That was when she realized that helping him had become her motivation.

Master Yun Chi sighed. “I will never understand people who live for love like you… but I guess I knew this when I accepted you as an apprentice.”

“I apologize for being an unfilial apprentice,” Zhou Lihua said with a low bow. She was truly grateful to this man. Under his tutelage, she had become far more adept at refining pills and even learned new ways in which she could use her Heavenly Flames. She had made a friend and rival in Lili Ling and every day had been quite enjoyable. Zhou Lihua wanted to honor him as her master, but she also wanted to help Wu Jian, and this was the first chance in so long that she would be able to help.

Shaking his head, Master Yun Chi said, “Nonsense. You have been a good apprentice. You just have desires I cannot comprehend. You are not like me or Lili Ling. It is your strength, but it is also your weakness.”

Zhou Lihua kept her head bowed low. “This apprentice is unworthy of such praise.”

“Lift your head.”

Zhou Lihua did so and found Master Yun Chi smiling at her. He began walking around his room, and she followed him with her eyes. He soon stopped before a shelf containing several storage rings. She knew those rings contained special ingredients used in refining pills that helped cultivators ascend to new heights. Before she could wonder what he was doing over there, he plucked one of the rings, and floated it in her direction. Unlike Mei Xilan who was likely unable to see it, she could see the almost invisible flame wrapped around the ring.

“I intended to give this to you later, but now seems like a good time. That ring contains all the ingredients you need to refine the Benevolent Deva Ascension Pill. There are enough for six attempts. That should be more than enough for you to redefine the pill for both you and that girl.”

Zhou Lihua’s eyes widened. “Do you mean…?”

“I am not willing to allow my apprentice to travel into the heart of a maelstrom when one of her companions is so weak. Make that girl strong enough that she can protect you with her life.” 

With a bright smile on her face, Zhou Lihua bowed low. “Yes, Master! Thank you!”

BVarnell89

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